Rikishi Recalls Challenges Of Wrestling In Outdoor Stadium At WrestleMania IX

On the latest episode of Off The Top, Rikishi reminisced about his WrestleMania IX experience, where he competed as part of The Headshrinkers against The Steiner Brothers in the unique outdoor setting of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. You can check out some highlights below:

On the heat at WrestleMania IX and The Headshrinkers’ mindset: “Well first of all, my damn feet were damn hot, like we were walking on rocks. It was probably 110 degrees out there. It was like we were out there wrestling in the desert. But this was a big day for the Shrinkers, man. We were happy.

“I think we were just put on this card because they normally have the WrestleMania card months in advance. But we were having such good matches with the Steiners all the way around, they figured, ‘Okay, let’s throw these cats on.’ And we were so happy to work with each other. We were backstage, we were just hyped up, ready to go. And we knew that amongst the six of us, including the referee and Uncle Afa that was out there, our mindset was to come out there and steal the show. And I felt we did.”

On the difference in atmosphere compared to indoor arenas and match details: “You don’t really feel the vibe as much as in a closed arena. The music just seems hollow. And you don’t feel the energy as much as when you’re underneath a ceiling with the fans. But these are the things you train for. You never know where they’re going to put up a ring. You never know where the show is going to be. And you just get out there.

“I think this was towards the beginning of the show. They put us out there — I think we were the third match, which is not the best slot to be in on the card, right? You either want to be the first match to open a show or last. And so, coming in the middle of the card, you really have to get these people on their feet and work hard. So when it was time to turn on the heat, you can see us right there. Brother Scotty [Steiner]… Scott was being professional.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Off The Top with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.